A video showing a man defecating on a public sidewalk near the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Guadalupe Street in Austin has drawn widespread attention on social media, highlighting persistent issues with visible homelessness in the city.
Austin has become a literal shitshow. pic.twitter.com/dpL9d0chWv
— Austin Videos (@ATXVideos) May 3, 2026
The footage, posted May 3 by the account @ATXVideos, captures the man lowering his pants and relieving himself in broad daylight before continuing on his way. Pedestrians, including a man in a blue polo shirt, are visible nearby. The post, which has garnered over 1.5 million views, describes Austin as having “become a literal sh*tshow.”
Austin/Travis County’s 2025 Point-in-Time (PIT) count, conducted in January, recorded 3,238 people experiencing homelessness — a 36% increase from 2,374 in 2023. Of those, 1,577 were unsheltered.
Crime Trends and Broader Context in Austin
Austin Police Department data for 2025 showed overall declines in crime. Homicides fell to 55, the lowest since before 2020, with violent crime and property crime also dropping. However, residents and local accounts continue to report concerns about public disorder, including encampments and related issues near high-traffic areas like the one in the video, as reported by Fox 7 Austin.
The city has faced repeated challenges with encampment cleanups. In late 2025, Gov. Greg Abbott directed state agencies to dismantle camps in Austin, per The Texas Tribune. Local efforts have included sweeps, but advocates and residents have raised concerns about recurrence and handling of belongings.
Similar Challenges in Dallas
Dallas has confronted parallel issues with homelessness and crime. A December 2025 data presentation to the Dallas City Council highlighted geographic overlaps between homeless encampments, DART routes, and clusters of reported crime, according to maps from Southern Methodist University Professor Allen Guinn, as reported by The Dallas Express.
The Dallas Express has covered these topics extensively. In one report, serious crimes reported by DART Police rose 10.69% amid debates over encampments and public safety. Earlier coverage noted a 214% spike in chronic homelessness in Dallas between certain periods and ongoing frustrations with vagrancy in downtown areas.
Dallas officials have pursued initiatives such as “Safe in the City” for downtown and joint operations with the Homeless Outreach Team, while calls to 311 about homelessness increased by 45% over three years.
Dallas city councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn took to social media on May 4 to speak further on this pressing issue:
At this point, most residents don't want to contact 311to report homeless encampments because the service request is immediately closed with no action. To save the city, the council must say compassion plus immediate enforcement is needed. https://t.co/dijtrE6lyu
— Cara Mendelsohn 🟦 (@caraathome) May 4, 2026
